


Snippets of Unrequited Brotherhood

by YellowSpatula



Series: Isak and Even - Grønne Gardiner [6]
Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Even's oblivious and a lil stupid, F/M, Fluff, Isak's sad, M/M, Unrequited Love, but we love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22271446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowSpatula/pseuds/YellowSpatula
Summary: Isak doesn’t look at the fireworks at all, instead he looks at Even and admires how the colors from the sky reflect in his eyes.Even looks at the fireworks.It's the story of his life.
Relationships: Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen, Even Bech Næsheim/Sonja (SKAM)
Series: Isak and Even - Grønne Gardiner [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1438822
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	Snippets of Unrequited Brotherhood

They meet when Isak’s six and Even’s eight. From that day on, it’s the two of them. Whether it’s a birthday party or a Sunday in church, they come together and leave together, hand in hand. 

Isak’s a tiny thing, a bit pathetic, really, and he gets teased a lot. For having long hair, like a girl. For not reaching up to the highest climbing pole out on the playground. For wearing pink and lots of bracelets. The other kids tease him relentlessly until the day big and tall Even steps in front of Isak and tells them to _sod off, dipshits._

* * *

_“Why do you always protect me?”_

_“Because you don’t deserve what those idiots say to you.”_

_“I don’t?”_

_“Of course you don’t.”_

_“Not even for being ugly?”_

_“You’re not ugly, stupid. You’re a very pretty boy, Issy.”_

* * *

Their parents get on really well, too, and one summer, when they’re ten and eight respectively, they rent a villa in Spain for two weeks. It’s the first time Isak goes on an airplane, so he sits and clutches Even’s hand in his small one for the entire flight.

One night when they’re in Spain, there’s a firework show in the town they’re staying in. Isak’s always been a bit afraid of fireworks, so Even holds him for the entire show. Isak doesn’t look at the fireworks at all, instead he looks at Even and admires how the colors from the sky reflect in his eyes.

Even looks at the fireworks. 

Puberty hits Even when he’s twelve, much sooner than the other boys in his class, and suddenly girls look a little extra at him. Isak stays tucked under his arm for all of it. Even looks over Isak’s curls and lock eyes with the girls shooting him shy glances. 

Isak doesn’t talk much about soulmates, but from the point of them being eleven and thirteen, Even often sees Isak with his fingers wrapped around the wrist on which his mark will appear. More often than not, his lips will move in silent prayer as he does.

* * *

_“Dear God, please let him be my soulmate. I’ll love him forever, and I know you praise love.”_

_“Isak? It’s like two am, who are you talking to?”_

_“Oh. Sorry. Did I wake you?”_

_“Yeah, now go to sleep.”_

_“Sorry.”_

* * *

  
  


They watch a scary movie when Even’s fourteen and Isak’s _almost_ twelve, and Isak clings to Even’s hand during the entire thing, _even_ when it’s not scary. Even laughs at him, and Isak swallows at the sound that bubbles out of Even.

Even’s fifteen, and he tries to fly by throwing himself off of the roof. He breaks a leg and an arm, and then he sleeps for three days, only waking up once or twice. He has to stay at the hospital for a while, and Isak doesn’t leave his side unless forced.

It’s nice, Even thinks, to be cared for by someone who’s not his parents. Isak thinks it’s nice to finally get to cuddle Even. Maybe, he thinks, that’s when Even will finally realize what’s been right in front of him this entire _goddamn time._

(He doesn’t, of course.)

Even tells Isak about him being bipolar, and when Isak comes back the next day, he tells Even that he’s read a bit about it. Even wants to cry. Isak’s the sweetest boy on the planet. When he tells him, Isak looks at him in pure awe and his cheeks turn the brightest of red Even’s ever seen on a person.

Isak turns thirteen, and Even organizes a surprise party for him. Isak doesn’t have a lot of friends in school, Even knows, so he invites his own friends, and Jonas. Isak hugs him for a bit longer than he usually does when he says thanks. Even tells Isak to make a wish as he blows out the candle, and when Isak does, Isak looks straight at him.

Even tells Isak about how he wants to be a director, and Isak tells him about parallel universes. It’s about how there are infinite versions of them across the multiverse, and that in every single one, _it’s the two of us, Ev_. 

* * *

_“So you're saying that it’s destiny that the two of us are best friends? That it is like that in every possible universe?”_

_“Of course. God wants us together in every universe possible.”_

_“I like that we’re always friends. It sounds nice.”_

_“In one universe, maybe- maybe we’re more.”_

_“Yeah! Like, maybe in one universe, we’re like, actual brothers! Wouldn’t that be nice?”_

_“Yes. Of course. Good night, Ev.”_

* * *

  
  


Isak calls him in tears when he’s fifteen, asking if he can stay at his for a while, just until his mom calms down a bit. It ends up being a few months, but none of them complain. 

Initially, Isak was meant to sleep on the futon under Even’s bed, but when he couldn’t sleep for a few nights in a row, Even suggested that maybe cuddling would help. Isak, of course, didn’t object.

Even lives for the nights they spend playing video games until their thumbs hurt. Isak lives for the mornings where he wakes up next to Even, his face being the first thing he sees when he wakes up, and then the last thing he sees before sleep takes over.

Every morning, Even looks out the window in awe of how beautiful the morning is. Isak always looks at Even and watches as the light from the morning sun dances in his eyes.

Isak’s the only person that will actually act interested when Even tells him about movies and directors and epic love stories. Even shows him his favorite movie, Romeo + Juliet, and he gently scolds Isak when he catches him looking at Even instead of the movie.

_“I know I’m beautiful, but so is the movie. And it has Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s like, the most beautiful. Look at him instead, Issy.”_

Isak blushes and looks down at his hands, mumbling a quiet _“shut up, Ev”_ to him. 

Even turns eighteen, and he when he wakes up, it’s with a new name on his wrist. He jumps out of bed, startling Isak as he pulls his arm from under him. Isak deserves his beauty sleep, but _this,_ this is worth more than that. He finally has a _soulmate._ He’s waited forever, and now, on his wrist, is the name of the person he’s going to spend forever with. He can’t wait.

At the sight of Even’s excitement, Isak jumps out of bed, too. The butterflies in his tummy has never been more present.

* * *

  
  


_“I have a soulmate! Isak! I have a soulmate!”_

_“Who is it?”_

_“This is the best day of my life! Can you imagine? This, right here, is the person I’m going to grow old with? They’re like, my perfect match! Doesn’t it sound beautiful?”_

_“It does, it sounds magical, but who is it?”_

_“You-”_

_  
_ _“Really?”_

_“I’m just so happy. I-”_

_“So am I. You don’t know how long I’ve wanted this. Like, I can’t believe that we-”_

_“It’s a girl in my year, Sonja, her name is. Doesn’t just that sound beautiful? Sonja; It just rolls off my tongue so beautifully. And she’s beautiful, too. So beautiful you wouldn’t believe. I’m so lucky, Isak.”_ _  
  
_

_“Oh.”_

_“She looks like an angel sent to Earth. I’m the luckiest guy in the world!”_

_“I have to go to and...go, but ah, good luck with Sonja. You deserve it.”_

* * *

  
  


Isak goes to the bathroom, and Even catches him come out with red eyes and a runny nose an hour later. Isak blames it on allergies and Even accepts it. It’s the middle of February.

Even doesn’t spend a lot of time with Isak after that. He spends most afternoons with Sonja. He introduces them three weeks later. Isak feels - and _looks_ , probably - close to tears. Sonja asks him about it later, concerned, and Even says that he’ll ask about it.

When he does, Isak blames it on hearing from his father again.

Isak turns eighteen on a Wednesday, and when Even calls him to ask about his soulmate, Isak says that he didn’t get one. 

_It’s alright, Ev,_ he says, _I have you and Jonas. I’ll be fine._

One night, they meet for dinner, Isak and Even. And well, Sonja, too, of course. Even likes how comfortable Sonja and him are around Isak and keeps his hand on Sonja at all times. Isak feels cold. 

After that, they lose contact for a few years. Even accepts it as part of aging. It’s the worst years of Isak’s life. 

When Even’s twenty-five, he calls Isak again.

* * *

_“Isak?”_

_“Even?”_

_“It’s been a while.”_

_“It has, yeah.”_

_“How are things? Have you met anyone?”_

_“No, no, just me and my thoughts. You?”_

_“That’s what I was meaning to talk to you about.”_

* * *

Six months later, Isak stands by Even up at the altar. The colored glass in the church makes the light reflect against Even’s blue eyes and pale skin. The moles on his cheeks look like specks of sunshine. Isak’s dressed in a too tight suit, and so is Even, but he makes it look easy. 

Even’s gaze latches onto Isak’s and he smiles the biggest smile Isak’s ever seen from anyone. It makes Isak’s heart beat just a little faster. Later that same night, Even tells him how he got to marry his best friend.

All night, Even looks at Sonja, and Isak looks at Even.

And so they do for the rest of time.

Even doesn’t ever look back at him.

**Author's Note:**

> :(
> 
> Contact me on Tumblr if you want: OrangeSpatula


End file.
